Mid-term effects of fire on soil properties of North-East Mediterranean ecosystems

Fire is a fundamental ecological process with a long history on Earth, determining the distribution of vegetation formations across the globe. Fire, however, does not only affect the vegetation but also the soil on which vegetation grows, creating a post-fire environment that differs significantly in terms of soil chemical and physical properties from the pre-fire environment. The duration of these alterations remains largely unknown and depends both on the vegetation condition and the fire characteristics. In the current study, we investigate the effect of fire on some chemical and physical properties 11 years after the event in four plant communities. Two of them constitute typical Mediterranean fire-prone plant communities, dominated by sclerophyllous Mediterranean shrubs, such as Quercus coccifera and Q. ilex, while the other two are not considered fire prone and are dominated by deciduous broadleaved species such as Q. petraea and Castanea sativa, respectively. The results indicate that fire affects the soil properties of the various communities in a different manner. Burned sites in the Q. coccifera community have a significantly lower concentration of organic matter, total nitrogen, and available magnesium. At the same time, they have a significantly higher concentration of sand particles and a lower concentration of clay particles. The effect of fire on the soil properties of the other three communities is less dramatic, with differences only in total phosphorus, organic matter, and total nitrogen. The results are discussed in relation to the site conditions and the post-fire regeneration of plant communities

Statistical mechanical studies via molecular dynamics simulation techniques of liquid systems consisted of protic (MeOH, H_2O) and aprotic (DMSO, DMF) solvets.

ΣΤΑ ΠΛΑΙΣΙΑ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΔΑΚΤΟΡΙΚΗΣ ΔΙΑΤΡΙΒΗΣ ΕΓΙΝΕ ΜΙΑ ΕΚΤΕΝΗΣ ΣΤΑΤΙΣΤΙΚΗ ΜΗΧΑΝΙΚΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ,ΜΕΣΩ ΤΗΣ ΜΟΡΙΑΚΗΣ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΟΜΟΙΩΣΗΣ,ΤΩΝ ΜΑΚΡΟΣΚΟΠΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΩΝ ΙΔΙΟΤΗΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΠΑΡΑΚΑΤΩ ΠΡΩΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΠΡΩΤΙΚΩΝ ΥΓΡΩΝ ΜΟΡΙΑΚΩΝ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΩΝ.ΣΥΓΚΕΚΡΙΜΕΝΑ ΜΕ ΤΗ ΒΟΗΘΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΜD ΥΠΟΛΟΓΙΣΤΙΚΗΣ ΤΕΧΝΙΚΗΣ ΜΕΛΕΤΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΤΑ ΥΓΡΑ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΑ:ΟΙ ΑΠΡΩΤΙΚΟΙ ΔΙΑΛΥΤΕΣ ΣΕ ΚΑΘΑΡΗ ΜΟΡΦΗ,DMSO-do,DMSO-d6,DMF KAI O ΠΡΩΤΙΚΟΣ ΔΙΑΛΥΤΗΣ ΣΕ ΚΑΘΑΡΗ ΜΟΡΦΗ,ΜeΟΗ.ΕΠΙΣΗΣ ΤΑ ΜΙΓΜΑΤΑ ΤΩΝ ΑΝΩΤΕΡΩ ΔΙΑΛΥΤΩΝ,DMSO-do -H2O,DMSO-do -Mδ+-Χδ-,DMF-d7 -Li+-CI-. ΣΥΜΦΩΝΑ ΜΕ ΕΝΑΝ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥΣ ΠΡΩΤΑΡΧΙΚΟΥΣ ΣΤΟΧΟΥΣ ΤΗΣ ΔΙΑΤΡΙΒΗΣ ΕΠΑΝΕΞΕΤΑΣΤΗΚΑΝ ΟΙ ΔΙΑΜΟΡΙΑΚΕΣ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΙΣ ΤΟΣΟ ΤΩΝ ΚΑΘΑΡΩΝ ΟΥΣΙΩΝ (DMSO,DMF,MeOH) OΣΟ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΩΝ ΤΩΝ ΥΔΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΔΙΑΛΥΜΑΤΩΝ (DMSO-H2O)KAI ΔΙΑΛΥΜΑΤΩΝ ΑΛΟΓΟΝΙΔΙΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΑΛΚΑΛΙΩΝ ΣΕ ΔΙΑΛΥΤΕΣ DMSO KAI DMF-d7.TO ΠΡΩΤΟ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΑΥΤΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑΣ ΟΔΗΓΗΣΕ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΞΕΥΡΕΣΗ ΑΚΡΙΒΟΤΕΡΩΝ ΠΛΕΥΡΙΚΩΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΩΝ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΑ DMSO,DMF ΣΤΗΝ ΥΓΡΑ ΦΑΣΗ.ΣΤΗΝ ΠΕΡΙΠΤΩΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΜΕΘΑΝΟΛΗΣ,Η ΕΠΑΝΕΞΕΤΑΣΗ ΜΙΑΣ ΣΕΙΡΑΣ ΠΡΟΤΥΠΩΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΩΝ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΓΝΩΣΤΩΝ ΑΠΟ ΤΗ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΓΡΑΦΙΑ, ΟΔΗΓΗΣΕ ΣΤΟ ΣΥΜΠΕΡΑΣΜΑ ΟΤΙ ΤΟ ΠΡΟΤΕΙΝΟΜΕΝΟ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΟ ΟΡLS ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ JORGENSEN ΚΑΙ ΤΟΥΣ ΣΥΝΕΡΓΑΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ [91] ΑΝΑΠΑΡΑΓΕΙ ΙΚΑΝΟΠΟΙΗΤΙΚΑ ΟΧΙ ΜΟΝΟ ΤΙΣ ΙΔΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΥΓΡΟΥ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΑΛΛΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΣ ΙΔΙΟΤΗΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΣΤΝ ΥΠΕΡΚΡΙΣΙΜΗ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΗ Η ΚΑΤΑΣΤΑΣΗ ΑΥΤΗ ΕΞΕΤΑΣΘΗΚΕ ΓΙΑ ΠΡΩΤΗ ΦΟΡΑ ΣΤΗ ΔΙΑΤΡΙΒΗ ΑΥΤΗ.ΤΟ ΝΕΟ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΟ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΗΣ ΤΟΥ DMSO ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ ΣΕ ΣΥΝΔΥΑΣΜΟ ΜΕ ΓΝΩΣΤΑ ΠΡΟΤΥΠΑ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ ΜΟΡΙΟ ΤΟΥ Η2Ο (SPC,SPC/E,TIP4P) ΣΤΗ ΜΕΛΕΤΗ ΤΩΝ ΥΔΑΤΙΚΩΝ ΔΙΑΛΥΜΑΤΩΝ ΑΥΤΟΥ,ΣΕ ΜΙΑ ΕΥΡΕΙΑ ΘΕΡΜΟΚΡΑΣΙΑΚΗ ΠΕΡΙΟΧΗ ΚΑΙ ΓΙΑ ΤΙΣ ΔΙΑΦΟΡΕΣ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΣΕΙΣ.ΕΠΙΣΗΣ ΤΟ ΙΔΙΟ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΚΟ ΓΙΑ ΤΟ DMSO ΧΡΗΣΙΜΟΠΟΙΗΘΗΚΕ ΓΙ

Antoine Equation Coefficients for Novichok Agents (A230, A232, and A234) via Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The flexible models of Novichok agents (A230, A232, and A234) from previous molecular dynamics simulations (MDSs) have been employed to create a parameter set for the Antoine equation of each of the three liquids. Furthermore, for the needs of this paper, new models of Novichok agents were created and studied via MDS due to the fact that the exact molecular structure of these compounds has been a matter of discussion in the last few years; however, recently, the literature favors a particular set of structures. Therefore, to cover our study holistically, both of the proposed molecular formulas were employed in the simulations and discussion. A range of ambient conditions was selected, and the data from the molecular dynamics simulations were employed to give the best possible fit in the selected vapor pressure range. When looking at the results for the two structures of A230, A232, and A234, we can see that, despite their differences, the A and B coefficients have the same magnitude in both cases (structures proposed by Ellison and Hoenig and structures proposed by Mirzayanov). Moving from the Ellison and Hoenig to Mirzayanov structures for substances A230 and A234 revealed a decrease (slight to major) in factors A and B of the Antoine equation. However, in the case of A232, where the Mirzayanov structure produces higher coefficients, this does not hold true. Overall, the Antoine equation of the studied agents will be an essential tool for understanding the behavior of these substances under different conditions

Assessing the threat of terrorist use of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons in the South-East European countries

Many scientists and politics argued that ‘tomorrow’s threat may include the use of chemicals, bacteriological agents, radioactive materials and even nuclear technology. In the present paper we describe the Risk Assessment Analysis of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) threat in the EU emphasised in South-east European countries. This paper draws upon material available in the public domain to address three questions: What are chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons, and how available are they?; What could terrorists do with CBRN?, and Why and how serious is the danger overall? Nowadays, the most serious threats considered to be, firstly, the chemical and biological, and secondly the nuclear. The dissemination of CBRN as weapons of mass destructioon (WMD) is one of the most crucial issues of international security. The vivid effusion of this phenomenon in the region of Middle East and North Africa has possible consequences limited within the boundaries of this particular region. The terrorist organisations considered to be, by governments and the international community, a possible threat. In such a framework of the international environment, South-east European countries seems to live in. These countries, through their participation in international organisations exercise pressure for the termination, reduction and control of the accession of CBRN weapons. In this paper, are presented the most crucial proposals that could offer solutions to the present institutional framework which rules the risk assessment procedure on European, regional and national level

South-eastern europe simulation network (seesim): an example of regional cooperation in south-eastern europe in the field of crisis response dealing with devastating emergencies and environmental disasters, natural or man-made

The South-eastern Europe Simulation Network (SEESIM) Computer Assisted Exercise (CAX) is a series of exercises, conducted every two years, within the framework of the South-east Europe Defence Ministerial (SEDM ) process. The purpose of the exercise is to promote cooperation, coordination and interoperability of civil-military operations and enhance crisis response within and among the SEDM nations through effective use of computer modelling and simulation (M&S). The scope of this exercise is to develop the capabilities and procedures of national and regional coordination, cooperation, and mutual assistance among the SEDM nations in the face of devastating emergencies and environmental disasters, natural or man-made

Battery hazards and safety : a scoping review for lead acid and silver-zinc batteries

Batteries play a critical role in our lives. However, depending on their chemical compositions and contents, they may turn into serious threats for both humans and the environment. Misuses and high temperatures during the operations may result in cell cracks and release hazardous liquids and gasses. In order to prevent fire ignition, strict safety regulations in battery manufacturing, storage and recycling facilities should be followed. This scoping review presents important safety, health and environmental information for lead acid and silver-zinc batteries. Our focus is on the relative safety data sheets and research studies. All findings are explained in a simple and clear manner. The goal of this paper is to identify risks and recommend solutions appropriately designed for increasing battery fire awareness

New approach in the procedures of gas freeing and inspecting confined and enclosed spaces in maritime vessels

In naval vessels, air quality monitoring in general and specifically gas free-testing is an important and demanding task. Gas-free procedures include measurements of oxygen levels, explosive (% LEL) and toxic gases by qualified and experienced personnel through various handheld devices. However, confined spaces of warships (fuel tanks, CHT spaces, voids, etc.) along with other special features appeared in ships (low accessibility, poor lighting, moisture, lack of air movements, etc.) provide with more difficulties regarding air quality monitoring. A versatile handheld field device, originally developed for early location of entrapped people, specially modified and designed is tested for supporting the air quality monitoring procedure of naval spaces. The device developed enables chemical, visual and audio capabilities. Special performance characteristics such as robustness, corrosive resistant, easy decontamination, explosive proof and minimum electromagnetic signature are investigated for optimum performance. This all-in-one device will possibly provide on-line and on-site measurements offering to fleet crewmembers and shipyards personnel an easy-to-use reliable tool for performing air quality monitoring effectively, efficiently and quickly. Furthermore, the cost for maintenance and inspection of confined spaces will be probably reduced without risking personnel safety, while adding to air quality monitoring the abilities of audio and visual abilities for surveillance